Hello Computer
by scottiegal2012
Summary: A short story... Kathryn's first approach into Voyager's Holodeck.


Hello, Computer  
><em>A quick little story for my girls... for Ivana, Jamie and Deidra. For Eileen, Hazel, Mads, Kate. For Pam, Serina, Becca, Janina, Captain K. and all the other ones 3<em>

Kathryn Janeway had been pacing her ready room for the past two hours. She'd drained her trademark three cups of coffee before even getting to the Bridge where she abandoned her new First Officer ten minutes after. She was restless, exhausted and missed home dearly. She pulled the two pins out of her hair and the bun loosened, letting her pull it down to hang at her back. About the middle of her back to be precise. She dropped the pins to the table by the couch and dropped herself down where she let her head hang in her hands. Mostly, she just missed _Mark._

She leaned back and took a steadying breath before pulling her hair away from her face and standing again. She raised her voice to key the communication system. "Janeway to the Bridge."

"Go ahead, Captain." He had a nice voice, deep and comforting even though less than 48 hours ago he was her sworn enemy.

"Could you come to my Ready Room please?"

The door chimed in a moment. He was like her, restless… probably had been pacing the Bridge while she paced her Ready Room. "Come in."

Chakotay, with his people's trademark tattoo visible on the side of his face near his temple, and his Starfleet uniform looking out of place, stepped in. "Yes, Captain?"

She couldn't help but smile. He was a nice guy, and she understood his reasons for leaving Starfleet. She'd studied his Maquis intelligence file and his Starfleet Career Report meticulously over the course of two weeks. "Join me?"

She still had her hair down, Chakotay was astonished at how long it was. She looked stressed too, like he felt. He nodded and left the door to join her on the second level of the Ready Room.

"Coffee?"

_Isn't she jittery enough?_ He laughed at himself as he answered. "Yes, thank you. Milk and two sugars."

"Two?" She raised an eyebrow at him before turning to the replicator. "Computer, one coffee black. One coffee milk and …_ two_ sugars."

"Amount of sugar?" The computer prompted.

Kathryn leaned her forehead against the cool metal wall. "Two. Two teaspoons. Two level teaspoons."

The computer chirped it's response as two mugs materialized in the opening.

"I hate this thing." She explained as she handed Chakotay his mug. "Since the day I boarded her. The one in the Mess, that one's fine. This one and the one in my quarters… forget it, I can't get them to cooperate."

"This ship has a mind of it's own, ey?"

She laughed at how ridiculous she must sound to him and simply nodded.

"What's on your mind, Captain?"

Kathryn eased forward and set her coffee down. "I know how I feel about all of this… and I know how Miss Torres feels… how does everyone else feel? How angry are they?"

Chakotay tried not to laugh when the Captain mentioned Torres, he knew how the Half-Klingon could get and he was pretty sure if he didn't give a stern warning earlier when B'Elanna had attempted to get in her face that Kathryn would have had her throat ripped out. "Very. About how you feel, but without the guilt."

_Blunt. I'll take that._ Kathryn nodded and moved stray strands of hair out of her face. "What can I do to make this _better_?"

"I don't think you can, Captain."

_That's it than. It'll be a long 75 years._ She nodded and kept her eyes fixed on him. "I've… I don't know what to even say to them."

Chakotay mulled over that for a moment. "You will. It'll come to you as everyone starts to settle into this life."

She gave him a smile and nodded. "I hope you're right. I stranded them all here, I hope they can each find some happiness."

Chakotay grinned. "That's key, Captain. You are concerned with their health and well-being, they'll see the genuine part of you soon enough. Just be open with them. If that's all?"

She nodded as he stood and left. Grabbing her hair in a tight knot, she twisted it back up into that bun. She left out the side corridor to the turbolift. "Holodeck 1."

The turbolift complied sending her in seconds to the appropriate Deck. She exited into a silent and empty corridor. Everyone was on duty apparently, and no one was assigned to this Deck at the time. She approached the Holodeck doors and took a breath. "Computer, open Holodeck programming sequence."

"Begin."

"Earth, Bloomington, Indiana."

"Time period."

Kathryn glared at the wall where the keypad was located. "Now, current."

"Time Period." It prompted again.

"I want a current image!" She wasn't yelling, not quite.

"Unable to comply. Please restate request."

She felt like crying. Or at least pounding her fist into the bulkhead. Just as she was about to do the latter an arm reached passed her and keyed a restart of the programming sequence.

"Computer, what stardate features the most recent image on file of Bloomington, Indiana?"

_Tom Paris_. Kathryn didn't look as the computer spouted off a date, she could feel her cheeks turning red, and of all people to catch her missing home.

"Use image and extrapolate two years change on the land. Use last known temperatures and weather over 295 Kelvin."

The computer beeped it's acknowledgement.

Tom seemed to contemplate that for a moment. "Computer, add appropriate current 24th century homes in the distance, some children nearby playing. Extrapolate from there."

The computer did so.

"Begin program." Tom concluded and smiled at Kathryn who'd finally turned slightly. "I've spent far too much time in the Holodeck." He explained with that boyish grin.

"Thank you, Mr. Paris." She smiled back as he left her alone again.

She stepped through the doors... and said goodbye.

_Fin. _


End file.
